The Grey Notebook
by naruto1fan2000
Summary: What if the Leaf and the Sand didn't sign the peace pact, after all? Chouji, Ino and Shikamaru are heading off to their train, but this time Asuma has a different plan for them. Each one of them is given a grey notebook for individual and regular write, like some kind of journal. What is Shikamaru's perspective about the war world?
1. Chapter 1

**11****th**** October**

One word: TROUBLESOME! That's what you are, exactly.

I keep asking myself WHY did Asuma gave us this task.

This is such a drag…

Anyway, I'm supposed to write what I feel or something, so… I'm bored. Here you go.

We haven't been on any missions lately. That's good. It means more time for cloud watching.

Problem: Chouji has been busy with something he explained while we watched the clouds the last time just the two of us… he should already know I wouldn't listen if I was watching the clouds.

Solution: ask Ino if she wants to come…

Result: she actually accepted. That's one thing I wasn't expecting… It feels the same to watch the clouds with Chouji or Ino, since both remain silent. That's good. I like silence.


	2. Chapter 2

**17****th**** October**

Just came from a mission. A drag… I would tell what it is about, but this journal could lay on unwished hands, you know?

I still don't understand why I refer to you as if I was talking to a person. Oh, well…

A new war is starting, I guess… The Sand and the Leaf are not such great allies, after all. As a chunin, I'll probably be sent. I've never really killed someone, so I don't know if I'm ready, but do I really have a choice? And, after all, these are just my suppositions…

Something has been boring me for a while… If there is really going to be a war, will I have to face Gaara or Kankurou? Or Temari… I don't exactly wish to kill them, assuming that I can kill them, that is.

And I was just starting to enjoy our partnership…

Sometimes I wonder if the Leaf is able to win against the Sand… It's not that I don't think we're strong, but… you know… they have Gaara and Shukaku… Do I fear him?

We have Naruto and the Kyuubi, but he's just a genin… Will he combat?

War is just troublesome…


	3. Chapter 3

**2****nd**** November**

I realised one thing: I've been writing this more often than I thought I would be. Why? I have no idea. I think it just gives me some kind of comfort, letting myself out sometimes, even knowing you're not a person.

I realised another thing: I've been writing and saying things I didn't even think about before I start writing this. Way to go, Asuma… very clever. Bad thing: I wonder if he wants to read our notebooks. Worst thing: I wonder if he wants _us_ to read our own notebooks to each other. Great! I think like a girl, now… like Ino. Troublesome.

Both Leaf and Sand are preparing their weapons for the coming war, just as I though. It's just a matter of time before bombs start flying around. I think that will be the end of cloud watching with Ino.

It's not bad, watching the clouds with her, she actually says pretty clever stuff, once in a while… The worst part is the rumours: people say we're dating. I would never date Ino. She _still _annoys the hell out of me, most of the time. Women are such a drag…


	4. Chapter 4

**30****th**** November**

A bomb was thrown to the west part of the village yesterday. I went there. I have never seen such a troublesome thing until then. Seriously injured… even dead people! Just there, in the streets! The medical ninjas have been picking the dead bodies up and transporting the injured to the hospital, but everything's still a mess.

Ino was there at the time of the explosion… and I saw her. God, it was the most horrifying vision ever. I went to see her at the hospital today, with Choji, but she had been drugged because of the pain and she was sleeping… Anyway, the doctor said she will be fine in some weeks' time. I hope that's true.

I'm also wishing for this to end quickly. People are suffering greatly, and it was just a bomb. What will happen meanwhile? I heard the Sand's sending an entire army to take us down once for all. Who do they think they are?! Do they really think they can do whatever they want with us? We have great ninjas!

Which doesn't exactly mean we're totally safe… War is turning me crazy. Literally.


	5. Chapter 5

**6****th**** December**

War is settled. They are coming at us and we reply, and the cycle begins again. Right now, it's just a matter of time until I get a call of war, and this is making me nervous. I can't even watch the clouds calmly any more. I mean, I try, but after five minutes, I just can't keep still.

Asuma noticed this. And so did Choji. I guess when I'm stressed, I can't really hide it. Asuma came to me after yesterday's training session, saying I should ask for help. I didn't get what he meant with "help". Am I getting really crazy? That's absurd…

I mean, a chunin is supposed to be able to handle hard things. Even if my promotion was in kind of a rush, I shouldn't get this damaged just because I'm suffering by anticipation. Troublesome.

Anyway, Ino is still in the hospital, but at least, she's awaken now. The hospital itself is full to the top, because of the war. It could put the best jounin down just by watching the scene. Sometimes I wonder: what is war's purpose, after all? I mean, even after all the disagreements, what will all this do for it? Isn't there another way of solving things?

War is ridiculous.


	6. Chapter 6

**12****th**** December**

I said it was just a matter of time, and I was right. Last night, we received a letter, saying I'll have to go by next week. I mean, normally the chunin and jounin don't need a war call, they automatically fight for their nation, but since I have never battled in an actual war before, the Hokage thought it would be better this way. Whatever… It still stinks.

Oh, and about being a chunin and stuff, Choji is one now, too. Normally, I would be happy for him, but all I can do is hoping everything will be fine because, being a new chunin, he also received a war call. Just to think I may see him die or he may see me die… Ino is the lucky one, because she can't be promoted to chunin while she is in the hospital and she won't have to fight. That's already a reason for me to be happy, right? At least, one of my comrades won't be in life risk because of a stupid disagreement.

Shit, this is so hard!

I miss the cloud watching afternoons with Choji or Ino. Or both. Those were the best ones, because even knowing Choji loves to talk and Ino likes screaming at me all the time, they both remained silent while we were at that. It was kind of nice, I think…

It was awesome.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: The Ambush**

**The three groups searched for Gaara, and one of them actually found some information. But there's something they're not doing right.**

"So… Where do we go next?" Choji asked his friend. Temari was two meters ahead, leading the group.

"We keep searching for more places where he could have slept, I guess…" Shikamaru answered.

Suddenly, Temari stopped and started laughing violently. The two friends didn't understand what she was amused with; they didn't find nothing funny in the panorama or much less in the situation they were in; they looked at each other, clueless. Shikamaru decided to voice their ignorance.

"What's so funny?" The three had stopped in the middle of a street, because Temari was giggling so brutally she couldn't even run. As Shikamaru said this, he put his hands on his pockets and took his bored stance, waiting for her to stop chuckling. After a while, she decided to answer him, still with tears in her eyes, because of laughing so much.

"So that's what you've been doing? Searching for where he slept?" She released another laugh again.

The two boys nodded. "What about it?" This time Choji said.

"Well, just a little detail: Gaara doesn't really sleep…"

The boys' eyes grew wide. "W-what?" Choji let out.

"Didn't you ever question about that huge under eye circles?"

Choji talked again. "It was kind of weird, but to think the guy never sleeps…"

"Horrible nightmares, dreadful visions… The Shukaku host is not capable of such a thing like slumbering."

"Then all this was a waste of time…" Shikamaru sighed. "Troublesome."

"Then the only thing we can do now is return to the meeting point and hope the others had found something useful." The Akimichi heir said, sadly.

The other two nodded.

/-/-/-/

"I wonder what the others have gathered…" Lee was thoughtful.

"Probably not much. It seems Gaara knows pretty well how to run away."

"Yeah. But then we must be awesome, because we actually got valuable information, don't you think?"

"Not really."

"Huh? Why?" The taijutsu genius was incredulous.

"We didn't really gather that much information. The only certain thing we know is that he was at that market and that he went east. The rest are just suppositions."

"You're probably right…" The green-dressed seemed quite despondent.

Seeing his partner was a bit down, Neji tried to cheer him up. "We'll find him…"

"I know."

At this statement, Neji seemed quite surprised, but decided not to question his friend's determination, because it could put him down again.

"We should go back to the meeting point. Two hours have already passed." The Hyuuga boy stated.

Lee nodded. "Let's go, then."

/-/-/-/

Three men were standing on a roof, looking down to the street, noting every single move of their target. The supposed boss, a sturdy man with his face in the shadow and wearing a formal suit, was accompanied by two other guys covered by brown hooded robes.

"Akira, Hidetaka, shall we begin?"

"Yes, master Raiden." The two men answered in choir. But one of them still had a doubt. "What about the sand brat, sir?"

"Let him be. We'll catch him, anyway." The questioner nodded.

The boss, Raiden, smiled malevolently, creepily, you could say.

/-/-/-/

"N-Naruto?" Hinata called shyly.

The Jinchuuriki faced her, the fatigue showing signs in everyone's faces.

"We should go back. We've already searched for two hours." She continued.

"Yeah, I think she's right." Kankurou continued.

"But we haven't found anything, yet."

"Y-Yes, but the others will get worried, and that will late us. Don't you think, Naruto?" Hinata continued trying to persuade him.

"You're maybe right… OK, let's go, then." You could see disappointment in Naruto's face. The fact they hadn't found nothing at all was killing him inside, making him feel he wouldn't be capable of finding his sand comrade. But that was unacceptable! His friends should have found something, already, that could lead them to the Shukaku host.

Yes, they could really find him!

Naruto put a smile on his face, which disappeared in a snap's instant, because someone had thrown a _kunai_ too close to his head. He froze.

He was questioning himself about who had done such a thing when the answer landed not too far from him, in a human form, actually. Two hooded guys stared at him for moments, giving time for Hinata to activate her Byakugan and for Kankurou to prepare his puppets.

"Oh, look, Akira. The little brat has friends to protect him."

"Oh, isn't that cute." Hidetaka replied, ironically.

Naruto made a determination expression as he understood they were talking about him. He took a battle stance.

"Where is Gaara, you bastards?!" He screamed, assuming they had taken Gaara while he was on the Hidden Rain.

"How do you want us to know?" Akira screamed back.

"But don't worry." Said the other hooded man. "Soon, he'll be with you."

"What do you mean, bastard?" Naruto wasn't really understanding.

In response, the hooded men smiled subtly.

This only served to piss Naruto off. He didn't like rhetorical questions, especially when they weren't meant to be rhetorical!

"If you won't answer me, I'll punch the answer out of you!"

Akira and Hidetaka started laughing, but only Hidetaka voiced his thinking. "I'd like to see you try, kid."

This made Naruto determination to kill those two no-bodies even more. He didn't even know who they were, he only knew they wanted him for some reason. And Gaara, too.

As Shikamaru would say, they were just troublesome.

Hidetaka threw one _kunai_ in Hinata's direction and another in Kankurou's, making them head back in order to dodge them.

While they were far from Akira and Naruto, the first one executed the [Wind Style: Hurricane Fist]. His fist was immediately covered by cutting wind. Naruto couldn't even see him coming, so he let the enemy punch him in the abdomen. «He's… so… fast…», the Jinchuuriki though, before passing out. Akira smiled.

"What are you doing?!" Hidetaka screamed to his comrade.

"Relax. I was holding back. He just passed out." At this statement, Hidetaka sighed in relief.

Meanwhile, Hinata approached Naruto in order to see how he was and Kankurou was now closer to the enemies again.

Akira noticed something. «Odd», he thought, «he only has one puppet, now. Didn't he have two, at the beginning?»

/-/-/-/

Lee, Neji, Shikamaru, Choji and Temari were already at the meeting point, waiting for the others.

"Why are those two taking so long?" Choji finally voiced what everybody was thinking.

"Three. Those three." Temari immediately said. "Kankurou hasn't arrived yet, too." She was really worried about his brother. It was clear in her face.

Shikamaru, who had been quiet until now, made a decision. "Me and Neji will look out for them. You stay here, in case they arrive." Everybody nodded… excepting the sand girl.

"I'm going, too." She said, confident. "Kankurou is my brother, remember?" She faced Shikamaru.

He sighed. "You won't accept a «no» for answer, will you?" The genius said, bored. Just by looking at her face, he could already tell he was right. "Come on…"

She smiled. The three ninjas jumped out, leaving Lee and Choji for their exciting waiting.

Neji activated his Byakugan, in order to find their friends more quickly. When he finally found them, his eyes grew wide.

"That way." He pointed. "And we should really hurry."

Shikamaru and Temari could already guess what was going on without asking Neji for details.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru muttered.

/-/-/-/

Hinata had taken Naruto to a safe roof and returned to the fight. She would prefer a thousand times to stay with Naruto and help him recover, but she couldn't let Kankurou fight those two by himself. Not that they had hopes they could defeat them even the two of them. The plan was to create a diversion and get out of there the fastest they could.

Once they found the rest of the group, it would reveal easier to escape. The funny part: they didn't even know why they were fighting these guys; they just knew that it had something to do with Naruto and Gaara, which meant it could reveal itself a matter of the Kyuubi and Shukaku's powers.

Anyway, they wouldn't let them take their will along.

After some time throwing _kunai_ and_ shuriken_ and dodging the enemies' ones, apparently the two hooded decided to get serious.

Hidetaka screamed "[Chidori]!" and started running into Hinata's direction at an impressive speed, impossible to dodge. The same happened with Akira and Kankurou, but this one performed a "[Rasengan]!" and both the genin saw their lives passing right through their eyes… almost.

When they were about to be hit, the two hooded stopped, still in an attack stance.

"Shadow Binding Technique: success. Hinata, Kankurou, just saved your lives. You're welcome." Shikamaru smiled.

Kankurou sighed in pure relief. Hinata fell on her knees, also sighing. This was one of those bad luck days.

The Chidori and the Rasengan were already extinct, but their executors were far from over with that fight. They let out a war cry and started to try moving; Shikamaru trying harder and harder to keep them still, but it was impossible. The two men, with a lot of effort, got rid of that technique and jumped to the nearest roof.

Yup, that was one of _those _days.

"H-how?" Shikamaru let out.

"Oh, look, Hidetaka. A shadow user!" Akira said, smiling with confidence.

"Oh, isn't that cute!" Hidetaka replied again, just like the last time. He was also smiling.

This put Shikamaru in a bad mood; at least, worse than he was before. But thinking about it, it could not be as bad as he was thinking. He actually liked to be underestimated. It could reveal itself a virtue.

Yeah…

Naruto woke up on the top of a building, not really sure of what had happened. The rain was pissing him off. He was completely wet, already. Wasn't that enough?! He was lying on the soaked roof, but quickly sat up when he realised somebody's shadow was covering his face.

He tried to figure who the person was, but her face was covered in a shadow coming from nowhere. Creepy.

He was sturdy and was wearing a formal black suit, also wet.

"Hello, boy." The man said, calmly. Almost irritant.

"Who the hell are you?" The Jinchuuriki quickly asked.

The man started to laugh. The rhetorical questions again. Damn!

"Who are you?!" He asked again, now more violently.

This time, the man answered. "Me? That's nothing of your business."

Naruto was getting more and more confused. And pissed. "What do you want from me?"

"Nothing. That's why I came."

"Listen, man: you're confusing me. Stop joking around and get to the matter, already."

The man laughed again. "You're a pretty cheeky boy, aren't you, Naruto?"

"Huh?" The Jinchuuriki's eyes grew wide. "How do you know my name?"

"Not only your name. I know a lot of things about you, boy."

"What is this about?! Why did you come to me?"

"I came to kill you and your little sand friend. What is his name, really? Oh yes, Gaara!"

**Ooops! More dangers are arriving. How will the Leaf ninjas deal with this one?**

**You'll have to read the next chapter, I guess…**

**Enjoy **

**P.S.: I'll be taking a bit more time to write new chapters because I won't have much time, but I won't stop, OK?**

**:D**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

**It seems like Naruto is in kind of a huge trouble. But it's not like everything is bad, right now. After all, the other ones came to save Kankurou, Hinata and Naruto. Well, at least, Kankurou and Hinata.**

The five ninjas were ready to fight. Hidetaka and Akira were on a roof looking at them. Hidetaka decided to talk.

"One, two, three, four, five… Not fair. We're just two, Akira!" He didn't seem to be truly worried about it.

"I completely agree. We should take out some of them more quickly and then made the last two suffer. Yeah, that sounds like a plan!"

"Yeah!"

The duo was talking pretty loudly, so the leaf ninjas could hear all of it.

At this last dialogue, Shikamaru sighed. It wasn't like he didn't enjoy a good fight. He did. When he was the one to watch it! Being inside it wasn't really his style. He was more of a cloud watcher. And it was damn raining! Hell, he hated that place…

He was kind of immersed on this thinking line when he heard a noise. It was like a click. He didn't know what it meant, he only knew it made his two adversaries jump away with some other man, all of him was a shadow. He didn't recognize him, he only noticed he was carrying someone else on his shoulder.

The five ninjas started to run after the trio, but as soon as they reached them, they disappeared in a puff.

Temari screamed in anger. "Damn it!

Lee talked next. "You guys warn me if I'm wrong, but weren't they the only lead we had of Gaara until now?"

"No." Neji said this time. "Remember, Lee, what we found out."

"Oh yeah! That's about right!"

Everyone was wondering what it could be and, at the same time, surprised, because Neji and Lee had been the only ones who had discovered something. However, no one had time to hear their discovery because Hinata, who had jumped back to the roof where she had left Naruto, talked first.

"G-guys?!" Her voice was lacking, she was making a big effort not to fall on her knees. Teardrops were running down her face; it sure wasn't rain, this time. "N-Naruto… he… he…"

"They took him." Shikamaru said, sparing her the effort of saying it. "I saw it." He was looking down with a truly sad face. He was starting to like Naruto; he had to admit the boy was kind of funny, sometimes, when he wasn't busy being troublesome.

Hearing the pure truth, Hinata couldn't resist falling on her knees; her hand tied next to her heart; she was crying and sobbing.

Neji, feeling it was kind of a cousin's duty, jumped next to her and hugged her. "Don't worry, Hinata." He started with a hopeful smile. "I know where they're taking him."

At this statement, everyone looked admired at him, excepting Lee, who started smiling victoriously.

"Oh yeah, I was about to tell you, guys!" He wanted to share the glory as well. "We got a lead!"

"Just say it, already!" Temari exploded.

Lee took a step back; the girl was damn scary, most of the times!

"Y-yes! Me and Neji found out the suspects are walking east, to the Fire Country's border… sir."

Shikamaru started thinking.

"Why?" He finally asked.

"We don't know." Neji said.

"Let's hurry up, then!" Kankurou had been totally out of the conversation, but he decided to express his opinion as well.

Everyone nodded and said "Yes!" in choir.

/-/-/-/

**Somewhere, in an Akatsuki hideout…**

"Tobi, Deidara, a new mission has come up to you two." Pain said.

The atmosphere was quite heavy. But, thinking about it, it was always like that in the Akatsuki meetings, right?

Hearing what Pain had said, Tobi's only visible eye shined in satisfaction.

"Did you hear that, big brother?!" He faced Deidara. "We're together on a new mission! Aren't you happy?!"

Deidara faced him boringly. "Shut up, Tobi."

"Oh, OK, big brother…" The masked man said now a bit calmer.

"Oh, and Tobi?"

"Yes, big brother?"

"Don't _ever_ call me «big brother» again. Got it?"

"As you want, big brother!" Nobody could really see it, but Tobi seemed to be smiling,

Deidara sighed. Tobi seemed to be useless, sometimes.

"Anyway," Pain continued, "your mission: meet with our correspondent in the Fire Country's border. Three men will hand you two boys. They're two Jinchuuriki that you have to bring here. Make sure not to lose them. I'll give more precise information about the meeting location, later. Meanwhile, go prepare yourselves."

"Me and my big brother are always prepared!" Tobi shouted triumphantly.

"Shut up, Tobi!" Deidara was clearly pissed.

"Dismissed." Pain said.

/-/-/-/

**And in Konoha…**

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura screamed happily from the other top of the street.

The white-haired jonin turned around to see a pink-haired girl with a huge smile running in his direction. However, she was holding a big knife in her right hand. Was this something he should be worried about?

She finally reached him.

"Look, Kakashi-sensei." She said as she caused a deep cut on her left arm with her knife.

"W-what are you doing, Sakura?!" Kakashi expressed a worried face.

"Don't worry, Kakashi-sensei. Just watch."

She dropped her knife on the floor and involved her right hand in a green chakra, which she applied on the cut in her left arm, healing him completely.

"See?!" She faced him, smiling.

He sure was amazed. Even Shizune didn't master that technique so quickly. And she was Shizune!

Could this girl be the next legendary medical ninja? He wondered.

"So? What do you think, Kakashi-sensei?"

He woke up from his deep thinking. He had totally forgotten the girl was still there!

"That's great, Sakura! Keep the good work!" He finally said.

Since the girl seemed satisfied with the answer, he took leave and went ahead to the Hokage Tower.

He wondered why she had called him. Had she finally found a mission for him? It was about time, already.

But before he could get there, another person stopped him, but this time that person was about his age. And was a guy.

"Hey, Kakashi!"

"What's up, Asuma?"

"Going to the Hokage office?"

Kakashi nodded with a smile and Asuma continued.

"Me too. Com'on…" He said now walking and made him a sign with his hand to illustrate his phrase.

The two men were walking side by side.

"She's a pretty fast learner, isn't she?" Asuma said.

"You mean Sakura? I was thinking about it right now."

"Tsunade picks the good ones, alright."

The masked man nodded.

Another silence moment.

"Sooo…" Kakashi finally said. "What about Ino and Choji?"

"They're focusing on the clan techniques, right now, so they've been spending more time with their parents. We had a training session, yesterday, though."

"And how were they?"

Asuma looked at Kakashi's face and smiled proudly. "Ino's a complete mind controller, now, and Choji… Well, Choji could smash a little village in no time, actually."

"They seem to be pretty good."

However, Kakashi noticed Asuma wasn't totally happy. "What is it?" He said, but then he realized it. "Are you worried about Shikamaru?" He said smiling.

"No, of course not! He's a genius, he can take care of himself."

"Then what is it? Oh! I know… Something happened between you and Kurenai, right?"

Asuma looked at him, surprised. "How did you-"

"Oh, come on, Asuma. I don't need to be a Yamanaka to read your mind…"

Now anybody could see Asuma was sad.

"What happened?" Kakashi asked one more time.

"She didn't want to have dinner yesterday night. She never refuses. What did I do?"

"You're a good guy, Asuma. I'm sure you did nothing wrong. I guess she just wasn't in the mood for it."

Asuma looked at him, sadly, but then a smile grew up on his face. "Hey, I didn't know you were such a good adviser. Do you know what they say? The best advises come from who has the experience… Do you want to tell me something?"

Kakashi flushed and scratched his nape nervously.

"Oh, look! We're here! No time to talk, now!" He excused himself.

As they entered the building, Kakashi noticed he had never been saved by the Hokage Tower before. Funny.

/-/-/-/

"Enter…" Tsunade said when she heard someone nocking at the door.

The door opened and two men entered.

"Good, you're here Kakashi, Asuma."

She then handed them a written paper. Asuma recognized it immediately.

"This is Shikamaru's writing!"

Tsunade nodded. "He sent us a pigeon with that message. They captured both Gaara and Naruto."

At this statement, Kakashi's eyes grew wide. Tsunade and Asuma could only see one of his eyes, though. He then deduced a simple thing.

"The bijuu, right?"

"Both of them." Tsunade confirmed with a nod.

"Are we their support?" Asuma questioned.

"Yes. You'll leave today."

The two men nodded as they received another paper with the details of the other ninjas' location.

They exited.

This info left a lot for Kakashi to think about. His student had been kidnapped!

/-/-/-/

**Back to the five Sand and Leaf ninjas…**

"OK, guys. We at least have the minimum idea of what they want from Naruto and Gaara and where the kidnappers are heading to… I think. So, off we go, I guess…" Shikamaru wasn't excited. At all! Man, this was such a drag…

The five ninjas jumped out of there to the border direction.

There wasn't even a single one of them who didn't want to get out of that damn rain! It was so damn annoying! God damn it!

Compared to that, the forest was… dry, at least.

They were running at maximum speed. No one knew what exactly was waiting for them, but they had an idea. And it wasn't welcoming.

**Wait! Akatsuki, too? It isn't looking good to the heroes…**

**Well, good luck! I guess…**

**It was away too much time since the last chapter! I'm so sorry, but I have been quite busy, you know?**

**Anyway, here Chapter 8, finally!**

**Enjoy and sayonara!**


	9. Chapter 9

**4****th**** January**

Oh man, my life is so boring… Yesterday, my parents really took me to a psychologist. Try to guess what she said to me: «write a journal».

Seriously?

Anyway, there hasn't been any kind of attack, lately. Well, excepting the visit to the psychologist… That was an attack to my sanity. But I don't even want to think about that anymore.

Definite change of topic: since the attacks have stabilized, me and Choji have been doing an exhausting training of cloud watching. And it has actually been working: I can stay still more and more time by the day!

Even Ino joined us once. It was one of the best afternoons – if not the best one – that I have ever had since this damn war started. We talked, we laughed, we… basically were a real team. Right? We really felt good with our selves knowing that we get along so well.

And to think that in the beginning, when they announced us as a team, Ino hated me and Choji and all she wanted to do was being the leader. She changed a lot. We all did, right?

Why am I being so emotional? My life is still a drag… Whatever.

**WARNING: **I'll be posting one chapter on every Thursday. That way, I won't have to be worrying if I post too soon or too late. Enjoy!


	10. Chapter 10

**10****th**** January**

The newest Konoha's war strategy: sending military groups of about twenty people twice a day to Suna.

Sometimes, I wonder if Tsunade really is one of the Great Sannin… What are these groups for? Strategic suicide? I'm not underestimating her – I hope –, it's just that it won't do a thing. Seriously, what the heck… I deduce she will stop this crap, when she realizes its results, really…

But what I seriously hope is that neither I nor my friends and family don't get to go on one of those. For now, my parents, Ino and Choji are safe – relatively – on the village, but in war times, you never know what to expect…

Just look at this example, again: Tsunade sending military groups to Suna! I really can't stop thinking about how dumb it is.

But why am I worrying about it? It's not my business… – yet.

Well, last night I was occupied doing the vigilance stuff on the border… I have to say it's troublesome and, at the same time, better than other stuff. With "troublesome", I mean you can get killed anytime if you're not paying attention, but if it's a minimally peaceful day – or night –, there isn't much to do there – and I love doing nothing. At least it isn't a drag, I guess.

But, in this war, there isn't many peaceful days, are there?


	11. Chapter 11

**15****th**** January**

OK, I don't have much time, so I'll be quick with this. Remember those military groups Tsunade decided to send to Suna? Those I just wished not to be in?

Well, it seems like my wish hasn't come true. And, to make it worst, Ino and Chouji came with me, too.

We're still half of the way there, but I don't even know if we can make it to the destiny. Bombs all over the place, poisoned food, hidden fatal traps… Seriously, if you look at the sky, you can always see something dangerous flying right above your head!

Yeah, pretty relaxing, as you can see…

I don't know if I'll make through this one. Plus, Chouji and Ino's lives are on the line, too. I can't imagine how I would feel if they died and I survived.

It's so unfair.

But, as I said, I don't have much time.


	12. Chapter 12

**18****th**** January**

A lot of members of my group died, but we made to the surroundings of Suna without me, Ino or Chouji suffering any kind of damage – if worry and fear don't count as damage.

We're pretty well hidden, but this won't last long.

Nothing lasts long in war times, does it?

We're about ten people, right now, but I'm alone most of the time, since the others normally get to do the hard work and I just sit down planning our moves.

I feel bad about this and I've told them that, but they just insist that if I were to be killed, then they wouldn't have somebody as good tactician as me. That doesn't make me feel better, though.

Our particular mission is to rescue a leaf ninja that was reported missing during an attack here in Suna. Apparently, he was such a gift to the leaf that Tsunade wants to make sure he's really useless – which basically means if he's dead.

We don't even know who the guy is! We just have a particular location – where he might be – and, if we find nothing, then we'll have to go back to Konoha.

I wonder…


End file.
